A fifteen-year-old boy was refused bail when he appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson on Friday charged with breaking and entering the dwelling of his cousin’s friend and carting off several articles.
The teen pleaded not guilty to the charge which read that on June 21 at South Ruimveldt, he broke and entered the dwelling of Rachel Barker and stole two laptops valued at $396,000 and one digital camera valued $55,000; total value being $451,000.
Barker said that on the day in question, she had secured her home and gone out. Upon her return at about 3 p.m. she discovered her room ransacked and the items in the charge missing. She added that when she was going home, she saw a person fitting the defendant’s description in the vicinity of her home.
She said that she then informed a friend of hers about the incident and offered a description of the person. Upon hearing the description, her friend said that it seemed to match that of her cousin.
The friend reportedly saw the defendant with the camera on his return home. She in turn, called to enquire about the camera’s description. Barker said that she was able to identify the camera as hers when she visited her friend’s home and then made a report to the police.
The boy was then arrested and charged with the offence. However, he said that he bought the camera from a friend for $5,000.
He was then refused bail and the matter put down for July 19.
